INTERNATIONAL. With huge gas finds in the Mediterranean, new gas-LNG ventures afoot, accelerating acreage leasing and major capital investment projects across the region, the Middle East and North African oil and gas market remains one of the biggest and most dynamic energy markets in the world.

Therefore, the regional exploration, oil/gas-LNG and energy game attracts a growing number of companies and investors who find new business opportunities.

The conference in Geneva focuses on the exploration and development ventures of national oil companies, governments and companies in this vast and complex region. New opportunities have attracted greater commitments from super-majors, a growing suite of independents, including local oil firms, and increased positioning by national oil companies from around the world.

Dr Duncan Clarke, Chairman & CEO of Global Pacific & Partners says: " With the world's largest oil reserves in the Middle East, major capital investment projects across the region, acreage openings, new oil/gas and LNG strategies across North Africa, plus huge gas finds in the Mediterranean, the meeting will once again highlight significant opportunities for companies and investors, financiers, traders and players across thevalue chain."

During the intensive and high-level two-day program keynote speakers from major companies from all over the world report on key themes like state oil/gas policies, discoveries and development, regulation and interventions in the oil/energymarket, strategies of oil-gas/LNG-energy investors, private upstream projects and joint-venture interests, corporate assets/portfolio and strategies, as well as bid rounds, licensing,new ventures, business development, OPEC strategies and reserves, plus critical market issues impacting the Middle East-North Africa-Mediterranean zones.

Speakers like Pascal Laroche, Business Development Manager of Total UAE and Tarik Mokrane, Country Chairman Algeria of Shell International E&P, offer an inside look in their portfolio's, with presentations including from Wadie Habboush, President & CEO of Habboush Group, and RWE, Apache, Iraq Institute, Botas, Cairn Energy, Noble Energy, MND, Petrogas E&P, MOL Group, Dana Petroleum, New Zealand Oil & Gas (Tunisia), Energean Oil & Gas, Oman Oil Company E&P, and government representatives and state oil companies from Tunisia, Cyprus and Morocco.

The 9th MidEast-North Africa-Mediterranean 2012 Upstream Conference takes place on 10 & 11 September 2012, at the Four Seasons Hotel, Geneva, Switzerland and is hosted by Global Pacific & Partners.

MIDDLE EAST BUSINESS COMMENT & ANALYSIS

INTERNATIONAL. Unexpected developments can catch the herd wrong-footed and spark major movements when the masses scatter at the same time. When that occurs, those who resisted the herd may find themselves rewarded. We believe that we are approaching such a point.

INTERNATIONAL. This isn't about Netanyahu and Obama, and both know it. It is about the reconfiguration of a region the US cannot subdue and cannot leave. It is the essence of great power strategy: creating a balance of power in which the balancers are trapped into playing a role they don't want.

INTERNATIONAL. This isn't about Netanyahu and Obama, and both know it. It is about the reconfiguration of a region the US cannot subdue and cannot leave. It is the essence of great power strategy: creating a balance of power in which the balancers are trapped into playing a role they don't want.